A Few Words
by JMK758
Summary: Tia Anlor, who first appeared in 'Golden Girl Revised', asks Hoshi to teach her English, with some interesting results.
1. Awakenings

A Few Words

By JMK758

Disclaimer: The usual legal assurances re: Paramount, UPN, 'Enterprise' and all holders of Copyright.

Tia Anlor (pronounced Ahn-lore) is my own creation, having first appeared in 'Golden Girl (Revised)'. After more than two years working on this series (so far 24 posted stories as of March 2006), I decided to go back to the roots and enhance the stories with background detail established 'later'.

These stories take place in the later part of the First Season.

This is Tia's second appearance aboard Enterprise, the morning after 'Golden Girl'. The third is in 'Glistni', which takes place 'tomorrow'.

Rating: G

Chapter One

Awakenings

The Krontis shook violently, knocking Tia and Arianis to the deck, almost everything on the laboratory tables falling noisily around them, glass shattering and heavy scientific equipment crashing about them. Both young women knew, even without being able to see outward from the laboratory, what was happening. They and their fellows of the Muutuur, or Underground, had tried to escape from the control of the demons of hell that ravaged their planet, had stolen a Silurian cruiser, but their escape attempt had failed!

Even before Tia could push herself to her feet there was a deafening roar, the ship was buffeted again and they both fell, sliding the length of the room, more equipment crashing around them! Whatever was happening to the ship was not centered in this room, but was nearby – close enough to be heard!

Arianis got to her feet. Tia would have preferred to stay where she was, but she had to help her friend. They had to get out of there!

"Arianis!" Tia yelled. "Zin ti -." Whatever she would have told her friend to try to do was lost in an earsplitting roar and they were hurtled bodily against the wall, Arianis' piercing shriek barely audible over the noise. They were pinned against the metal bulkhead as the inertial stabilizers failed. They would now be subject to the full force of the explosions which rocked the ship about them!

The force eased for a moment, long enough for Tia to drop to the floor, but the other girl could not move in time. Tia looked up at her friend, pinned to the wall by the inertia as she ship started to spin sickeningly about them. "Arianis!" She screamed over the noise. "_Ceicar mis_!"

Before the girl could move to 'get down' there was a titanic explosion, the laboratory – the entire ship – shook as though in the hands of a mad giant, and everything in the room, including the massive workbenches, launched itself at them!

Arianis' scream lasted only an instant before the room hit her!

x

Tia Anlor sat bolt upright on the bunk, her shriek echoing off the metal walls of the small cabin! She clutched the blanket to her heaving chest, gasping frantically, the triple beats of her heart pounding a wild rhythm in her ears. She fought back another wild scream as she sat, searching the room frantically for something that was familiar.

A few seconds later her door slid open, and she turned into the flood of light shining into her dimly lit room, seeing an alien man framed in the doorway, a weapon in his hand. Her breath locked in fright as she stared at this man, his blue clothing broken by a trim of red at his chest, and a representative patch adhered to his left sleeve. She tried to say something, if only another scream of terror, but she could not breathe or speak. He said something to her, four words that sounded like a question, but which made no sense. It _sounded_ something like 'Rr yuu hol ryyt' but that was not right either. The words were gibberish to her.

The blanket which she had held clutched to her chest slipped from her trembling hand, and for an instant his eyes flickered to her heaving pringlee, then again to her eyes.

She thought it was because they, and all her flesh, were golden rather than the pink pigments of his skin. Perhaps that was why he fixed so upon her body.

He seemed satisfied that she was not in danger, because he backed out, letting the door close, but not before his eyes focused again on her pringlee.

Left alone in the room, Tia stared at the door, fright giving way to distress as the memories of the previous day flooded back to her.

She remembered the attack on the stolen ship, the Krontis; then waking up in a strange room surrounded by three frightening aliens who at first spoke to her in gibberish, then somehow started speaking fluent Auran.

But no. They were not speaking Auran, they had been speaking some other unintelligible language. But she had _heard_ Auran due to a machine the smaller female had been using, as she surmised they heard her in their tongue.

They told her that every one of her friends, everyone she had escaped with, was dead.

x

That shock had been hard enough to bear, but then came a whirlwind of experiences, each more shocking than the last. She was among aliens; her friends were dead; she was stranded! She met one of the people who had come aboard the Krontis to rescue her, one who they called 'Shar-les', though the woman had called him 'Treep'.

He, at least, did not scare her!

But it was all a jumble and; as she sat on the bunk in the room he had brought her to last night, she tried her best to make some sense of the myriad of experiences.

The Silurians had come back, and had demanded her return. She remembered nothing of the encounter on the 'bridge' of this 'Enterprise' except a wild panic that had ripped her mind from her!

When she could think again, the Silurians were gone, and the … humans … told her they had bought her freedom for, she realized; a volume of gold that was almost incomprehensible! They had bought her – _that much_ she comprehended – but they then set her free!

That made no _sense_! She was on her home planet a Miktriz – a 'slave' – as were all her people; but they did not want her as a slave.

'Shar-les' had brought her to this room, and despite her mounting apprehension he had left her alone. After talking with her for a long time; he had not made any move to claim his ownership of her or require anything of her in 'services' for her 'freedom'.

Confused and exhausted, she had fallen asleep, and had descended into nightmare!

x

Getting off the bed, she found her clothing where she had lain it across the back of a chair. Having nothing else to wear, she pulled the tight material up her legs and over her torso to close it at her neck.

She did not want to wear this tight clothing; she would just as soon dispense with it, but there was nothing else for her to wear. She had the feeling, having seen the full coverage blue uniforms that the aliens wore on this ship; that they might not appreciate seeing her in less.

Thus far they had been kind. She did not want to do anything that would risk that.

x

It took her a moment to remember which button to push to open the door, but when the metal portal slid aside, she saw two women passing. "Galyas!" She exclaimed in as friendly a manner as she could. They stopped; looking at her with what she thought might be surprise, if she was interpreting the expressions on their faces properly. Pink faces. She doubted she would ever get used to that. It was not the proper gold complexion, but …

Each of them said a single word to her, the same word, but she did not understand it from either of them. Guessing it might be a greeting, perhaps their equivalent of 'galyas', she pressed on. "Mrunion werunne o Tia. Suur edalii tuvilii?"

They looked at her with blank expressions.

"Li cizkre eda. Li ku Aura klus." She told them she was new, that she came from Aura, but they did not seem to understand. The taller woman answered her tentatively, but her words meant nothing. She thought for a moment, finally remembering the name of someone who might be able to help.

"Mona Hoshi sei?"


	2. Request

Chapter Two

Request

Ensign Hoshi Sato had just sat down for an especially early morning breakfast in the Mess Hall when Tia Anlor approached her. "Vascan Sato, pli Li tuvi fuur kisnan?" She said it in Auran, but Hoshi knew she meant 'Ensign Sato, may I you with speak?' The young woman appeared extremely apprehensive.

"Of course." She answered, pronouncing it 'Suu tiik'; pushing out a chair beside her. "Fiw mis." Hoshi continued, inviting her to 'sit down'. She surreptitiously reached into the pocket of her uniform and switched on the UT she carried.

In the moment it took the woman to get settled, Hoshi regarded her. Tia had been aboard since yesterday.

The young Auran was slight, barely an inch over 5 feet tall, which made her even smaller than Hoshi. But where Hoshi had the olive complexion of her Asian heritage, Tia was golden. Not gold/blonde, nor the golden tan so striven for and prized by 'beach bunnies' even today, nor truly golden as if dipped in gold. Rather, the gold in her tinted her flesh the way human's red blood colored theirs.

On her world, natural selection and evolution had led to all life being based not on iron rich blood as on Earth, but on gold. Where the metal did not normally lend itself to bonding with oxygen, in her race it did, being of a different nature that only Phlox understood properly.

Phlox had explained it to them; something about a trinary bond, where an atom linked with both gold and oxygen, almost as if the latter 'piggybacked' for the ride through her bloodstream. T'Pol had understood; Hoshi did not. To her, it seemed an unnecessarily complex system for evolution to come up with. But the fact was that the young woman's complexion took on the tint of gold where human skin would adopt the pinkness imparted to it by red blood. Even her long hair and the irises of her eyes were golden, and Hoshi had to admit that the effect was quite attractive indeed.

But it was that very golden nature that led to her being aboard Enterprise. Her world of Aura had been conquered decades ago by a race known as the Silurians, who 'harvested' their slaves for the gold that they could acquire. Tia and her friends, after lives of cold-blooded abuse, had hijacked a ship and escaped, only to be hunted down by a Silurian warship. The crew had been killed in the attack on their ship, though Tia had survived to be found by Enterprise and rescued. Learning that there had been a survivor on the stolen ship, the Silurians had returned and demanded her return. Vastly outmatching the Enterprise, the Silurians had the power to back up their demand until Captain Archer had hit on the logical solution.

They had 'bought' her from the avaricious race, using matter re-sequenced gold to pay a stunning 150 kilos of the 'valuable' metal, more than the Silurians could 'harvest' from her body in over a millennium. To 'harvest' that much from her blood, even if she lived long enough to 'process' it from what she ate or drank on Aura – not on this ship – would take over 375,000 days! The Silurians had taken the gold and gone, leaving Tia behind.

But Tia was a refugee, unable to return to her enslaved planet, and stranded among aliens that she did not understand and who could not fully understand her. She was trying to find a place aboard the ship for herself, and knew nothing yet of having left Archer with the unenviable task of explaining to Starfleet Command just how he had 'bought' a new crewmember!

That had been yesterday, and Hoshi's duties had kept her on the Bridge, so she did not have much contact with Tia beyond refining the initial programming she had done on the Universal Translator to allow them to communicate. So she was pleased to finally have a chance to sit down and talk, if only briefly, and to evaluate the success of the programming she had done on the new technology that was the Universal Translator.

x

"Tia, I'm happy to see you. How are you coming along?" The golden girl looked at her, rather perplexedly. She had been startled at first to see Hoshi's lips moving out of synch with her Auran words, but then realized what the woman had done. But her phrasing was very strange, so much so that Tia could barely make sense of it.

"I … came down the corridor to this room."

'Well, that answers that.' Hoshi thought. 'I'm going to have to do a lot more work on the UT.' It was confusing enough when the UT worked properly. What people heard never did match the movement of lips, making conversation seem like watching a badly dubbed film. "No, I mean: How well are you adjusting to life aboard the Enterprise?"

This at least made sense. "A lot is strange. I have seen little, but when we speak I encounter many difficulties."

"Yes, I realize that. I should have put far more work into the Universal Translator's matrix than I had the time to. I apologize."

The last word Hoshi said did not translate, but Tia felt she understood what Hoshi meant from her tone. She guessed the woman was trying to say 'anston', though the machine did not.

"No, it is ca-klir." 'All right'; the UT imparted belatedly. "People … they are patient. But I – I came to dresna." This time the UT did not provide a translation to Hoshi, not even delayed one.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I lurin na kisnan to dresna."

x

Hoshi shook her head, feeling more like she should kick herself. Two days aboard, and she had not fine tuned the UT so the girl could carry on a simple conversation? It was criminal. "I really am sorry! I had no idea things were this bad."

"I do blame you nyasi; you have been kilyantin. You have worked hard in programming the vasdmineq with a language you ailu heard. I feel it is I who anston to you."

Hoshi was mortified. Clearly the temperamental technology was not up to the task, and it was Hoshi's fault. She should never have let herself get so distracted with her duties. She pulled the UT from her pocket. "I'm really sorry. I'll fix this." But Tia put a restraining hand on her arm.

"That is why I am here. I do not want you to program the vasdmineq any further." This time the UT did provide the word 'machine'; about half a second after Tia finished speaking.

"What?" She could see Tia was trying to hunt for other words to say, so she held up her hand. "I understood you; you don't want me to program the UT."

"No. I want to learn your tongue." She took a moment in Hoshi's surprise to explain. "Right now, I have problems communing. But without the aid of your ut, I will be completely duvile." 'Lost' the machine eventually said. "As long as I use it, I can only be understood and understand on this ship or in places that have an ut. I want to speak to you without an ut."

"U.T." She corrected absently. "We spell it out, not use it as a word."

"You see? I want to be understood, and to understand, without the crutch of a machine. People tell me you are a teacher. I want to be a learner. Will you leggot?"

"Of course I will. We can start right now."

Hoshi had learned a great deal of the Auran language from her initial conversation with Tia, enough to program the UT. Studying the logs of the derelict ship had rounded out her education, so she was certain her natural talents would be up to the job. It only mattered how quickly Tia could learn. She put the control pad on the table, punching in a brief sequence into the computer link. "All right, talk to me." She pushed a final button.

"Dupres avoionn keroiss veriaainn. Keevlanti avoionn milyanti."

"Avoionn milyantio wen." She put a hand to her chest. "Mrunion werunne o Hoshi. My name is Hoshi."

"Mrunion werunne o Tia. My name is Tia." She said with a bright smile of satisfaction.

"Wernneuo. Alphabet. Yee nu sle ah gni … aay bee cee dee ee…"


	3. First Tests

Chapter Three

First Tests

Commander Charles Tucker had taken a late morning in, after the extensive work he had done the previous night after saying 'goodnight' to their new 'guest' and then resuming his duties; after a delay of several hours; in the Engineering Room. Now dressed and ready for work, he pushed the button to open the door to his quarters and almost collided with "Tia!"

The young Auran was just reaching for the annunciation button and stepped back in even greater surprise. Recovering her composure quickly, she smoothed the material of her dress.

She reached out and took his right hand, bringing it up so she could place her lips to his inner wrist for a brief moment. It was not a kiss, just a touch of her lips before she let him go. Not knowing what to do, he did not try to copy the gesture.

She smiled up at him. "Good af-ter-noon Shar-les." She enunciated very carefully. So carefully in fact that he looked at her closely.

"Is something wrong?"

"No thing wrong is, Shar-les. I … I … I am ..." She floundered for several moments, and then stamped her foot in frustration. "_Fringat_!"

"Tia …" He began apprehensively, noticing that several passersby had turned in response to her fiery expletive. "Is something wrong with the UT?"

"I Hoshi asked to off it switch." He realized that her lips were matching her words; she was actually speaking English, though with a very distinctive Auran accent and syntax.

"Why?"

"I… I…" He noticed in her hesitation that they were not alone. Several who had stopped had not resumed their course.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" He asked in irritation, his implication clear; 'If you don't have a post, I'll find one for you'. The corridor emptied in short order. "Come in, please." He stepped back, ushering the pretty Auran into his room. She stepped past him, embarrassed and humiliated.

"I your friends shamed have."

"Don't worry about them. There's no problem. But why would you do this?"

"Wanted I your tongue to dres – to 'learn'. I do want to on an ut depend not."

"On a what? Oh, the UT." She nodded. "You don't want to depend on a UT. Well, I can sure understand that." She looked very uncomfortable. "Won't you sit down?" When she was settled, he asked: "So, what have you learned?"

"My mouth shut to keep."

He laughed before her forlorn expression registered. "I'm sorry, Tia, I didn't mean to laugh. I wasn't laughing at you." She shook her head, looking down.

"Foolish I am. Ready not, but gisnart … but fool! Wait could not. Used ut to me give words, rehearsed when to the Bridge Hoshi went this ilinta, but balys … knotted my tongue." He sat down opposite her.

"You're not a fool. I can understand you. What is it you wanted to say?"

After a few seconds she looked up, took a deep breath and steeled herself. But then she looked away again. "Fringatye! I gendlerrs duplendi am!"

"No. I really want to hear. What did you rehearse?"

x

When with his silent encouragement she could meet his eyes, she took a deep breath and steeled herself again, and began to recite. "'Good af-ter-noon, Shar-les. I am want to at speak you my own words in, not those of an ut, becase I to understand be off Enterprise want. I ask have Hoshi Sato me to English teach, that may I you speak to and to know what you say is it'."

"Well, I think that's just fine."

"Did I right it say?"

"You said it just fine." She smiled, and to Trip it seemed to light up the entire room. "I'd love to help teach you."

"I would it love too. Teach me to please."

"'Please teach me to?'" She nodded. "Requests, like questions, come up at the last syllable." He looked at the chronometer on the wall. "Tia, I would love to start now, but I have to get ready for my shift."

"That is … all right?" He nodded. "Hoshi me is my room in meeting after linch."

"Linch?"

"Daai. We at breakquick meet did, now the second part of her shaft she me with spend."

Trip tried to bite his lip without her seeing it. "Breakfast and lunch."

"Breakfast and lunch." She repeated gratefully.

'This is going to be interesting.' He thought, standing up. "How about if we meet in your quarters at 19:30 and we'll go over what you learned." She smiled shyly.

"I would that like much, Shar-les."

"Then it's a date." The look she gave him was confused indeed.

xxx

Trip did not see Tia for the rest of the shift, but could barely get his mind off the enchanting young woman. Of course, from the moment he had laid eyes on her, barely two days ago, she had captivated him. And now, she engaged his thoughts even more intently. He told himself that he was flattering himself, but there seemed to be some bond between them that he could not quite define. She had told him now that she was learning English so that she could speak to him, not so much to others, but to –

'Come on, Charlie-boy, get your head out of the clouds!' He admonished himself viciously. 'She is just a friend, and a lost soul at that, and what interest would she have in an old Southern boy like you! Wake up and smell the deuterium, for Christ-sake!'

xxx

Captain Jonathan Archer spotted Hoshi further down the corridor as he headed for the Mess Hall and dinner in the Captain's mess, and for just a moment he indulged in an appreciative view of her trim figure as she walked ahead of him. Catching himself with a silent but stern reprimand, based mostly on what any member of his crew might think if they saw the look in his eyes, he called out to her. She turned, and he carefully schooled his expression.

"Oh, Captain, hi." It was far from the snap-to-attention and salute that might have been the response on another ship, but to him it was far more in keeping with his preferred style of command, so long as when the shooting started –

"I was just coming to see you. We didn't have any time to chat today, but T'Pol told me about your extracurricular duties." She had come late for her shift and then taken the afternoon 'off' from her duties to devote to Tia's training, had taken an hour off for her own dinner, and was now just on her way back.

"Yes, sir; though I guess, if you come right down to it, the Bridge would technically be 'extracurricular'." He nodded.

"I never thought of it that way, but you're right." He fell into step with her. "So; how's it feel to be back in the classroom?"

"Good. Tia's a very good student. She learns quickly and is very motivated."

"I wonder how much of that 'motivation' has to do with our Chief Engineer."

Hoshi looked up with a grin. "A lot more than she's going to let on."

"So, a match made in heaven?"

"You've known him longer than I have. You tell me."

"I will when he figures it out."

They stopped before a particular crew quarters. "I was just about to go in for another lesson."

"I think I'll stop by and say 'hello', see how she's getting on. That is …" He gave her a sidelong glance. "If it's all right with the teacher."

She grinned. "I think we can find some time in the class schedule. Besides, I'm sure she'd relish a chance to try out what she's learned." Hoshi pushed the button beside the door, and a buzz sounded inside. "She's really developed quite well." The door slid open, and Hoshi saw Archer's face freeze. She turned, seeing Tia standing in the doorway.

The lovely Auran was wearing a pale blue skirt, and nothing more.

x

"Wrenaouq Archer!" She exclaimed delightedly. She took his hand, raising his inner wrist to her lips for a brief touch before releasing it and continuing in as delighted a tone. Archer was too stunned to move.

"Dampris qulara alyanti –." She halted herself sharply, noticing and completely misinterpreting their expressions. "Captain Archer, Hoshi, good evening." She enunciated the greeting carefully. "Will you klusel … come in?" She was mildly surprised by the slightly stunned looks on the faces of her guests.

"I… I have to be … on the Bridge." Archer temporized. "I just stopped by to see you – to see how you were… coming along." He finished lamely, eyes locked very carefully on hers.

"Cusla …" She started to exclaim, but then cut herself short. "I well am, Captain." She spoke carefully. "I since morning study have."

"Well, I'm, err, glad to see you - you've been … practicing. If you'll excuse me, I have to … go to the Bridge …"

"Oh. May losdrio li … I come?" She corrected herself. She did not quite literally leap at the opportunity, but her voice and expression carried her feelings.

"Er…"

"I have inside this palysre … this quarter all daytime been, except when with Shar-les I was, and when last I saw the Bridge it was very…"

"Perhaps another time, Miss Anlor. At the moment, it would be a bad time. I'm heading to my quarters for a shower."

"But I thought you say did that you were going 'have to go to the Bridge' edal… um, to be."

"No…" Though he kept his eyes very carefully locked on hers, he could not miss seeing all of her. "I think a cold shower is more in order. Excuse me, please."

Very carefully avoiding lowering his eyes, Archer turned and walked as sedately as he possibly could, leaving Hoshi with the Auran. Somewhat more subdued at the unusual event, she asked: "Wrong something is?"

Hoshi nodded, stepping inside. "Very, very wrong."

x

When the door slid shut, Hoshi thought quickly about how she could tell the woman, without turning on the UT, just why the Captain had been so distressed. Her words came out in a distressed rush. "Tia, you …! I don't know a lot about your world …! All right, I don't know anything about your world…! But I heard about what happened in the Sick Bay the first day you were aboard, and someone should have spoken to you and I guess it's up to me." Tia put up her hands defensively.

"Hoshi, you too _fast_ speak. Trinasli nyasi … I understand … do not."

Hoshi sighed. Should she say it in English, try to convey it in what Auran she knew, or turn on the damned UT? "Tia, you cannot go about that way."

"What way?"

"These!" She said emphatically, cupping her own breasts. "No, those." She pointed in response to Tia's look of incomprehension. "Tia, you cannot …" By main strength she shut herself up, seeing that Tia clearly did not comprehend. "Look, Dr. Phlox told me about what happened in the Sick Bay, when Commander Tucker was there. You took off your clothes right in front of him. And now you meet us at the door, meet Captain Archer at the door, and stand there with your breasts … stand talking to him with your breasts … expos …" She could see she was simply not getting through to the girl. "Tia, a woman does not allow a man to see her breasts. Or her vagina."

"Her what?" Hoshi pointed at the appropriate part of the girl's anatomy. "Why not"?

"Be –!" Suddenly Hoshi was caught up short.

x

In that moment she realized that the reasons that were patently obvious to her; that she had learned years ago from her own mother long before she even had any breasts of her own; were human, Earthwoman reasons. Her mind flashed over so many reasons; and every one she thought of, and had to reject, was based upon human conceptions of sex, modesty and privacy.

But the young woman before her was an Auran; and Hoshi realized she simply did not have an answer for her. She wanted to give her an intelligent reason, not a 'knee-jerk' reaction, but the truth was that she couldn't think of one! She couldn't even reconcile her own reactions to the custom of topless bathing being all right in the Mediterranean countries on Earth itself. What could she say to actually impose human standards on someone who was not human?

She realized she could probably think a lot more clearly if the woman in question were not standing before her almost naked. "Look, I'll be glad to tell you; but could you first put something on? A top?" Tia looked uncomprehendingly at her. "A shirt? At least a bra!"

"Yes, Hoshi." She answered, somewhat more subdued.

As the Auran started to turn, Hoshi looked upward imploringly. 'Oh, Mother! Where are all your Mother/daughter talks now?'

"Hoshi?" Tia had hesitated.

"Yes?"

Tia turned back to her, quite lost. "What is a 'bra'?"


	4. Revelations

Chapter Four

Revelations

'Oh, Mother, can't you come out here and field this one?' Hoshi thought vainly, putting her head in her hand and rubbing her eyes. She was sure she felt a severe headache coming on. "Tia, there are certain ways that a woman can behave with a woman that she cannot behave with a … No." She sighed, looking up at the girl, trying a different tack. "Tia, men and women are dif – Oh, God, you're not twelve; I shouldn't treat you like one." She saw the look in the Auran's eyes, and knew what was coming even before the golden girl answered.

"But I am one, not a dozen."

"Damn it!" She yanked the Padd more forcefully from the pocket of her uniform than she'd intended, punching buttons on its face. "I'm reactivating the Universal Translator!" But then she stopped. The device was fine for languages that had been programmed, or that could be extrapolated from the context of conversations. But unless the Doctor had discussed sex with Tia, it was unlikely to be of much help.

Stuffing the control back into her pocket, she stalked over to the closet and pulled out the first suitable garment her fingers touched, passing it to Tia, who mutely accepted it and put it on, buttoning it. The blue blouse at least complimented the pale blue skirt, Hoshi thought irrelevantly. At least it covered her high, firm breasts. Finishing buttoning the blouse, Tia looked up at her.

"In whatever language you speak it are going to, with me you angry are."

Hoshi shook her head sadly. "No, Tia, I am not angry with you. I'm angry with myself."

"Now I do understand truly not."

"No. Frankly, neither do I." She faced her and took a deep breath, trying to focus her thoughts. It was bad enough that Tia had not yet adjusted to the noun-verb-adjective pattern of English, but this subject was… "I'm reacting to you based on dealing as a human, not as an Auran, and that is not fair. I'm sorry. I just don't know how to explain it to you. I'm a Linguist, you're the Biologist, and neither of us is …" She shook her head.

"If we were on Aura, I would probably be doing a lot of things that would shock your people, because your people are not mine. I'm going to do a terrible job explaining this. I'm just going to have to ask you to trust me until we can get enough going so that we can understand each other without the UT. Understand?"

"I am … sure nyasi – not." She admitted hesitantly.

Hoshi rubbed her forehead, definitely feeling that headache coming on. "Look, at this point would you please just trust me on this, as a woman?" Tia nodded. "Women do not allow men to see their breasts, their vaginas or their … their …" She brought her hands back, slapping her own rump.

"Minlu."

"Minlu. As good a name as any. By the way …" She touched her own breasts.

"Pringlee. One is pringle." Hoshi pointed to her own vulva. "Sulyas."

"Sulyas. Well, Tia, the sulyas is very private." Tia burst out laughing. "What did I say!"

It took a few moments for Tia to stop laughing enough to tell her. "'Private' sounds very much, in Auran, like 'priivet', 'delicious'." Hoshi grinned.

"Well, a lot of men say it is… But the fact is that women are expected to keep those parts covered around men. It's very sexual. And men are not supposed to let women see their …"

x

"Their…?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you!"

Tia shrugged. "Whether you do say it or spell it, I do think I will not – Oh! You mean their -!"

"YES!"

"But is it so always?"

Hoshi turned toward the food dispenser, feeling the need for something to eat to relax things. Tia waited patiently while Hoshi thought as quickly as she could. Finally the Japanese translator turned back to her charge.

"I really think we're going about this all wrong. I can't give you intelligent answers without knowing how you think. Otherwise I can only give you rules, and that's not going to help at all." She sat down on the couch, patting the cushion beside her, clearly inviting the Auran woman to join her. "Tia, on your planet, it is all right for a woman to … for a man to see a woman's pringlee?"

"Yes. They … significant…?" Hoshi was about to nod, but compromised with a shrug instead, "…are not." This was not going to be an easy conversation. "Human women do not? A rule?"

"Let's stick for the moment to Aura. Describe for me the kind of clothes you wear. No, that's not it." She amended, cutting off whatever Tia would have said. "Tell me why you wear … Why, when you were found, and until this afternoon, were you wearing a full garment, that covered everything but the head and hands?"

"The work I as Glistni do … 'Biologist' do, I must keep from my own body contact with my … specimines?

"Specimens."

"And on the Krontis, it flinus was …" She thought a moment, trying to remember the word from her lessons. "Cold. I cold was."

"And if you were not cold, or working?"

"I what I choose wear. One says otherwise not. This evening, wanted I to try some of the clothes you made for me." She said, referring to the matter resequencer Hoshi had taught her how to use. Between them, they had created and stockpiled a reasonable variety of clothing for the girl.

x

"Is there any part of the body that you … do not allow others to see?"

She thought for a moment. "There is no poiuy … significant part of a body that is wedsa … what you meant by 'private'. Priivet not, that about taste is, for wer … food, or qil, drink. We … as we like dress. If we cold are, we much wear. If not, then no. We … pretty things wear if we like, but it is our like, no one else's."

"Human women … we hide our … pringlee, our breasts. And our sulyas, what we call vagina."

"Do they … shame you?"

"No, they're private." Tia was about to laugh, but smothered it with her fingers across her lips. 'This is going to be good.' Hoshi thought. "The … pringlee, and the sulyas, are sexual organs."

"No." Tia shook her head emphatically. "The pringlee provide wer, food, for infants. There is to them function not unless refnali a female is. The sulyas, males insert their ourlak, their … penis?" Hoshi nodded. "Males insert into the sulyas the ourlak, and they … deposit?... logler. That is for … 'insemination' is your word."

"Is there nothing more than that?" Tia smiled.

"It feels very, very good!"

Hoshi laughed. "It does to us, too."

"We it like to much, even if 'impregnation' our plan is not."

"Same here." Hoshi told her with a salacious grin.

But fun though it was to share a moment of feminine bonding, she did not want to get sidetracked while she was learning such valuable information, which would go a long way toward reprogramming the UT. But Tia beat her to the next question.

x

"But why … hide … you do a part that performs a … sorry, your language so hard is. A function for a short time only? It a function natural is, a source of shame not. Infants must eat."

'Think fast, Hoshi.' She counseled herself. "Humans … equate the breasts and vagina with … sexual desire. For a woman to allow a man to see these parts is to say to him 'I want sexual relations with you. Sexual intercourse'. It can mislead him, and is unfair."

"A lie?"

"No, not exactly. But he may think you are saying something that you are not." She thought about this.

"So keep yourself covered always you do, so men you want them think do not." Hoshi nodded. "And do you not?"

"Not with … Oh, how do I explain? I …" She pressed her hand to her own chest, emphasizing herself. "_I_ want sexual intercourse with Seamus O'Cathain."

"Who?"

"You'll meet him. The point is; he is my choice. I _feel_ attraction … sexual desire … for many men. Captain Archer, Malcolm, Trav –." She forcibly stopped herself. "The point is; Seamus is my choice."

"So without your clothing he sees you."

"No… Well, yes, but not all the … That would be … He sees me … It's only when I want to … do it. Do you understand?"

She shook her head, frustrated. "I am sure not. You complete sentences do not!"

"That's because I – Well, because…" She sighed as Tia's look of uncertainty became more intense. "Look, I don't want it all the time, and so I choose when we … do it."

"Does he choose ever?"

"A lot more often than I do!" She sighed, not really wanting to go where this line was leading. "The point is, for men sex is on their minds a lot, for women it is not. Women, we decide when, and one of the ways we tell a man we want it is to allow him to see … certain things like a breast. There are a million other ways, but let's keep it simple."

"This is _simple_?"

Hoshi shrugged.

x

"Hoshi, what is a 'bra'?"

"Huh?"

"When angered you were, you me ordered: 'put something on'. Your words were 'a top, a shirt, at least a 'bra'.'"

"Oh. A bra is … Well," She pulled at the zipper of her uniform, pulling it down and then unbuttoning the black tunic, spreading the uniform far enough so that Tia could see what she wore. "There are all sorts, but the purpose is to support. It emphasizes the breasts, holds them up against the pressure of our clothes. Makes the breasts more noticeable…" Her voice trailed off as she realized just what trouble she was getting herself into. Tia was thinking intently and Hoshi rightly predicted what she was going to say, much to her regret.

"You your pringlee … breasts cover so that sexually stimulate men you will not. And you then wear a garment that draws the attention of men to them."

"I know what you're going to say, and believe me, it is a long, long story!"

"So want me Captain Archer allow to my pringlee see you did not, because feared you his sexual stimulation, so told me you did to put on a garment that would hold them out to him."

"…Yes."

"Hoshi, to insult you I do desire not, but very _confused_ your culture is."

Hoshi nodded, pulling up her zipper. "You don't know the half of it."

x

Feeling uncomfortable sitting, Hoshi stood up, taking a step away. "Tia, what is it like in your culture?" She turned to face the girl again. "If you don't equate parts of the body with sexual desire, then how do you let a man you choose know that you want sex with him?"

"I do understand not." Tia said, her tone was absolutely flat.

"How do you let a man know you want him?"

"He knows." She said in that same flat tone.

"But how? Is it something you do, something you …" She saw Tia becoming more uncomfortable, and decided to try a different tack. "I want you to treat me as if I were a young Auran woman, who knows nothing about sexual matters. How would you teach me to attract a man, to show him I want him sexually?" She turned toward the food dispenser, wanting a drink. "How would your mother teach you about sexually attracting -." A sharp gasp turned her around. Tia stood by the couch, frozen, hands covering her mouth, eyes wide in an expression of profound shock. "Tia?"

"Ho – how _could_ you? Hoshi! _How could you say such a_ –?" She turned away, blushing a profound gold, covering her eyes. She seemed to shrink into herself. "Of all the things terrible you could…" Hoshi reached out to her, but at the touch on her shoulder Tia pulled away sharply. "_No_!"

"See, now that is just what I mean! I don't know what I said, but I'm sorry. Obviously I stepped on something in your culture that your exposing yourself in front of Commander Tucker or Captain Archer –." The moment she saw the stricken look in Tia's eyes Hoshi was sorry. "Then again, perhaps that is overstating …"

"I to talk want about any more this do not! _Ever_!" Tia cried. "Keep my pringlee and my sulyas and my minlu covered I shall, _if again we of this speak never_!"

"I promise. Never again." She said solemnly. Slowly the blush faded from Tia's face and she unwound, gradually relaxing, only now looking at her. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I said."

Tia took a shuddering breath, trying to regain her composure. "I you forgive. Happen to me all the time it seems to."

x

The tension between them was not quickly forgotten, but in time they relaxed, though Hoshi was still completely at a loss. She resumed the impersonal 'teaching' method they had begun with, and while it was a lot more comfortable continuing this conversation sitting down, Hoshi was surprised by how easily their conversation became littered with a mixture of English and Auran. Sentences that were started in one language might be finished in the other, or occasionally the opposing language would be sandwiched within the former. Once the subject got off of sex, it was a lot more pleasant.

But always in the back of Hoshi's mind was that chaotic moment when she had so forcefully crossed the line, and she had no idea at all what had caused it. So she had to tread carefully, fearful of another such violation, never comfortable because she did not know when she would encounter it, or what the consequences would be.

x

But just as she was about to raise the subject, or try to find some way of probing what had disturbed Tia so profoundly, the buzzer sounded at the door. Getting up, Tia opened the door. "Good evening, Shar-les!" She exclaimed.

"Hi, Tia. How are you?" Tia glanced at Hoshi, who had also come to the doorway.

"I know do not." She turned to Hoshi. "How am I?"

Hoshi smiled. "You're doing just fine."

"Class dismissed?" Tucker asked.

"Class dismissed, Commander. Take over." She said with a smile, stepping past him.

"And do worry not, Hoshi." Tia assured her in a conspiratorial tone. "I my priivet shall keep private." Tucker looked at Hoshi.

"Girl talk, Commander. You wouldn't understand."

"I never do."


	5. Klista

Chapter Five

Klista

When Hoshi was gone, Trip turned to Tia, taking in the image she made. Her long golden hair hung back off her shoulders, her complexion a startling blend of golden tones he never tired of. She wore a blue blouse and light blue skirt, and her golden legs were bare, as were her feet. All together, it was a very fetching sight. "So, how was class?"

"Class?"

"The lesson? In English? What did you two talk about?"

She looked away. "It required I you tell is, Shar-les?" She had waited all day to see him, but suddenly she was confused and uncomfortable.

"No, of course it's not 'required'? I was just askin'."

She looked back at him, even more confused. "You ask a question, and it is one I must answer not?"

"Let's … let's start over. How are you?"

"Do you … ask about my health? About my…" She shook her head. "I know what you do ask not."

"Tia, what's wrong?"

She looked at him, but then had to turn away, unable to face him any longer. "I cormatal - _frustrated_ am!"

"Why?"

"I to learn your English ask so speak you I may. But the more I learn, the more I confused become!"

"Happens to me all the time, and I was born to speak it."

"I think you joke, bit I do not. I to Hoshi speak, she my words learn as do I hers. We in Auran and English talk both. I understand do her always nyasi … 'not', but I … figure it out?"

He nodded encouragingly. "You'll get the hang of it. You've been at it less than a day, that's phenomenal success in my book. I don't know how you do it."

"I speak to the UT, it your words give me. Memorize them do I, but them use wrong!"

"As I said, you'll get the hang -."

"I do want hang not!" She snapped, turning away. "I want… What I … what I want…" She sighed, turning back. "I want Klista." He could hear the longing she put into the word. Whatever it was, it was vitally important to her.

x

"Klista?" She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped, tried again, but got nowhere. "Can you demonstrate klista?" She shook her head sadly, frustration welling up in her voice.

"Your UT says what it in English is, but makes it sense nyas – 'no'. It is … it is …" She sighed. The harder she tried, the less it worked. After a few moments, she turned to face him directly. "If show you I what UT Klista says is, you understand will?"

"I hope so."

x

She stepped closer, reaching out to touch his chest. She felt about for a moment, finally finding the soft beat of his heart. She took his hand, placing his fingers at her own heart, which he was surprised to find quite low in her chest, where in a human would be low down to the base of her lungs, or just above her diaphragm. He noticed her ribs continued down quite low, realizing there must be more than would be normal for a human. She reached up to his shoulders, tugging on him. She stood only about 5'1" as opposed to his nearly 6', so she pulled him down until he knelt on one knee, and pressed the two spots on their bodies together.

"Klista."

He looked up at her. "Heart to heart?"

She nodded, turning away in sad frustration. "Sense make nyasi!"

He stood up. "On the contrary, it makes perfect sense." When she did not turn, he gently took her shoulders until she gave in to the gentle pressure of his touch and turned back to him. "To humans. It means to communicate so the other person knows what you mean … what you _really_ mean, how you really _feel_. To tell everything and have it clear."

"Yes! Klista!"

"It'll come. Soon you'll be speaking like a native. For now, just say it; I'll work it out. I have so far."

x

She looked away, embarrassed. "I shamed am." She stole a glance at him, but could not keep it. "Much shamed, before you and your Captain. _Offended_ you I did, and cannot undo."

"Offended me?" Trip asked, monumentally surprised. "When did you offend me? Or the Cap'n, for that matter?"

"When … you saw … when the Captain Archer at the door was … Frignat, I the _words_ forget! Taught Hoshi me, but when upset I am, 'tied tongue' I get."

He stepped up to her, taking her shoulders again and gently turning her against her own resistance, until she was looking up at him. "Well, whatever happened, I can assure you that you have never offended me. _Ever_. As to Cap'n Archer; well, I can't say, not knowing what happened, but he's pretty open-minded. I'm sure that even if you actually tried to insult him, he wouldn't…"

"Oh, I do 'tried to insult him' not!" She exclaimed. "I was … I was stand … He my …I …" She stopped, frustrated, and broke away from his light grip, taking a step back, her hands clenched and eyes blazing in fury. "Words, words, words! I can remember the welsdnark words not!" Her golden eyes blazed in frustrated fury. "I want to have Klista but I can remember the English pringlee not! She me told pringlee, she me told minlu, she me told sulyas, she me told ourlak; and do I now even such words simple order keep in not!"

"Well then listen." He told her, reaching out and taking her hands in his, trying to stem her tirade. "I am not, and never have been, offended by anything you said or did, and I am pretty certain I speak for the Cap'n as well. He's gettin' to be quite a space traveler and we both know there are a lot of different cultures and a lot of different customs out here. That's what this ship is all about, getting out here and learning. We're likely to be runnin' into a lot of things that confuse the hell out of both of us, but that's part of learning about each other. Understand?"

She was staring at him wide eyed, and finally had to admit: "I am sure not."

"Well, some day you will be."

xxx

The Bridge of the Enterprise was normally a hub of activity but, when Tia Anlor entered it the following morning, attention seemed to gravitate to her. She supposed that it was because there were normally not a lot of civilians who came up here, but she could take no comfort in that conclusion. She had embarrassed herself before the Captain just a day ago. Actually, she had not been embarrassed until later, when she learned from Hoshi that he had been, but that did not help.

It had been three days now since she had stood on this deck, and watched this man face down a Silurian warship and bargain for her freedom. Since then, she had had little contact with him, and now with considerable trepidation she approached his command chair. She had wanted to speak of this before, but had not gotten up the nerve, but now she had to. If only she could keep up her courage, because she was sure that if she did not she could have no hope of a happy answer, even if she had to ask the question.

She passed Malcolm Reed on her right, saw the faintly disapproving glare from the Vulcan woman T'Pol of her left, briefly met Hoshi's questioning expression, but she kept her mind focused on the Captain. He had not yet seen her, but with some subtle sense she supposed was innate to humans he turned to her a moment before he could possibly have seen her approaching.

"Good morning, Miss Anlor." He greeted her in a manner she had learned was common to humans, though whatever the 'miss' was she still had no idea. She knew what she wanted to say, she had planned it all, and now as she looked at him, and then at the men and women watching her expectantly, she completely forgot what it was. She looked back at Archer, trying to block out of her attention all the others in the room.

"Good morning, Miss Captain." She imitated the words with great care, and saw with some distress a carefully restrained smile on his lips. She'd gotten it wrong, she knew! If only she knew what she had gotten wrong! She only knew that she had made yet another mistake!

x

She fought for the right words, and then tried to begin again. Perhaps if she put the flib, no, 'flub' behind her, she could do it right. Determinedly she reached out and took his hand, turning it over and bringing it upward, bowing slightly to touch her lips to his wrist in proper greeting. Maybe if she did things right, she could do this right.

She released his hand, looked up into his eyes, straightened, opened her mouth, and absolutely nothing came out.

She knew what she wanted to say, in Auran. And she knew she should ask for the UT to be turned on. Hoshi would do it in a second. But she had her pride; she would deal with these people in their own language. If only she could stop her heart from pounding so hard! Looking at the Captain, she couldn't help herself.

"May I help you?" He finally asked as the silence dragged on. She opened her mouth again to speak the English words, but they were gone. She simply could not _remember_! She tried again, but all she could utter was a gasping silence. Trying a fourth time, she at least got out:

"Wrenaouq, um, '_Captain'_ Archer?"

"Yes?"

Finally some of the words came to her. They were not the words she had rehearsed, but they sounded just about similar enough. "May place I your private on my tongue?"

The astonished look on his face told her all too clearly that she had gotten them wrong again!

x

In the utter silence of abject shock that froze the bridge, Hoshi's voice cut through like a knife. Archer stared speechless as Tia turned to the Linguist in monumental relief, and a short but intense series of clipped phrases shot between them. Finally Hoshi addressed him with a carefully restrained smile. "She means; 'may she speak to you privately?'."

Archer was not quite sure, but decided to risk it. "In my Ready Room. And come with us, Ensign."

"Yes sir." Hoshi was astute enough to know that Archer wanted more than a Linguist's assistance. After that outrageous entrance, coupled with the unexpected greeting last evening, he wanted a woman with him if he was going to be alone with Tia.

Archer saw that Tia was blushing; her face a strikingly bright gold; and she was keeping her eyes averted from him, her fingers hiding them. He figured this was going to be an interesting conversation.

x

When the three of them were in the ready room, Tia spoke first. "Anston li kir! Um, nyas; is right nyasi." She thought for a moment. "Apologize I do, Miss Captain. I _trying_ am!"

"No one is faulting you, Tia."

"I am. Seems it the more to understand I try be, the niqcat … the _worse_ things I make."

"We'll get by."

"Would you like me to translate for you?" Hoshi asked, but Archer held up his hand. He could see that it was particularly important to her that she continue to speak on her own.

"That won't be necessary, Hoshi." He could see in the restrained grateful look in Tia's eyes that he had made the right choice. "Please, sit down." She did so, in one of the large formed chairs, and he took his usual seat at his desk. Hoshi stood where she could see them both.

"Wrenaouq –." She bit it off. "I mean-."

"That's fine." He assured her. She took a deep breath and tried again.

"Wrenaouq, when you me the Silurians from bought … yes …" She struggled to find the word. They would not embarrass her further by interjecting it. "_Yesterday_ … you said I 'was not a slave any more'."

"No, you're not a slave. You're a free woman; though I had one interesting time trying to explain it to Admiral Forrest."

"Trinasli, um, do … _understand_ I not, but something I you ask may?"

"Of course."

"If I property am nyasi … am _not_, may do I what I choose. I aboard Enterprise stay because place is there for me to go not. But feel 'pull my mass' I must."

"Your weight?" She nodded.

"'Weight', daai, I mean '_yes'_. Sorry I am. I as a gisnart feel."

"Don't. You have been speaking English for, what, a _day_? Your progress has been absolutely remarkable. You've no need to feel embarrassed."

"Gratitude. Miss Captain…" Archer could see Hoshi about to correct her, but with a look he signaled the woman to resist. He did not want Tia's thoughts derailed now over something that could be corrected later. "I a Glistni, um, sorry, Bio-logist, am. That is … I … Trained I have, for many palyis … years. Can you … can I …" She stopped, and after a few seconds looked at him imploringly. It was clear she had reached the limit of her English.

"You want to work as a Biologist aboard Enterprise." Archer finished.

"Daai!" She breathed in monumental relief. "Yes."

"I'm certain that can be arranged. Hoshi?" He turned to the Linguist. "Would you take her down to the Life Sciences lab and see she is settled in? She can work with Ensign Cutler." The unvoiced implication came through clearly. He would like Cutler to become Tia's new 'best friend' in indoctrinating her into life among humans.

"An excellent choice, sir." He turned back to the startled former slave.

"I'll let Lieutenant Abrams know to expect you immediately." Tia was astounded.

"_That it is_?" She breathed, unable to believe what had just happened. "It been _done_ has?"

"That's it. Why? What did you expect?"

"Klanstu – weeks!"

Archer smiled. "We do things a little faster aboard Enterprise." He held out his hand, indicating the door. "Ensign?"

x

Hoshi started to lead the flabbergasted girl out, but she turned back to Archer. She placed each hand to her chest, above her breasts, fingers upward and pressed briefly to her chest near her shoulders. "Gratitude I am, Miss Captain. _Faithfully_ will I you serve!"

He held up a hand to stop her. "We'll work together; you will not be 'serving' us."

She hesitated, confused. "But hear I the men and women speak of 'serving on Enterprise'."

"Hoshi will explain the distinction. But for the time being, I think it best that you reactivate the UT, at least until your new associates get used to you; and you to them."

"Wise you are, Miss Captain." Then she was gone, as if hurrying lest he change his mind, leaving the officers alone.

"I have the feeling," Archer mused, "that things down in Life Sciences are going to get pretty interesting."

"Yes, ma'am." Hoshi said with a grin, and exited rapidly.


End file.
